Tuesday, March 27, 2012

What does a Second do?

What does a Second do? In other words, what does a follower of Jesus do? What are the basics of being a disciple? Here’s the list we use to develop I am Second tools, training and technology. These are the traits people will develop as they progress through the I am Second discipleship process:

Has put faith in Jesus as Savior.

Is baptized.

Studies and obeys the Bible (everything else flows from this!). Can do this by himself. Is “self feeding.”

What do you think about this list? What would you add? Subtract? Change? Do you have a process for developing these characteristics yourself? A process for helping others develop into this kind of follower of Jesus? Not just knowledge, but actually doing, living, thinking, acting like this?

In the beg. after 2... I would put follow for a good amount of time before they can lead... Sometimes as a new believer we are so hot and on fire but are spiritually young. We come off wrong, condemning, or too strong. We need to get to know God and learn to hear his voice/ lead. That goes along with being discipled by someone wiser in the faith. 12 seems forced a bit..that should come from a willing & called heart to want to serve in those ways. But I do see the need for that & discipleship definetly :)

Thanks so much for your thoughts, Nicole. People certainly need discipling by someone ahead of them in their walk with Jesus. But one thing we've found is that if a new believer starts discipling others right away (while still being discipled themselves), they grow faster. We call this the duckling principle. Think of baby ducklings following in a line after the mother duck. The first one follows the mother, but the others follow the one that is just one step ahead of them. New believers can do that, too. Follow someone ahead, then immediately teach what they have learned to someone else.